Sanitary drinking-fountain.



LT. INGBERG.

SANITARY DRINKING FOUNTAIN.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 23. 1913.v

3mm/tez @Momma Patented Dec. 1, 1914.

'ME MORRIS PETERS C0.. PHOTOJJTHU.. WASHINGTON. n. c

JOAKIM lVI. INGBERG, F MAYVILLE, NORTH DAKOTA.

SANITARY DRINKING-FOUNTAIN.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Dec. 1', 1914.

Application led September 23,1913. Serial No. 791,359.

To all whom it may concern i Be it known that I, JoAKiarM. INGBERG, citizen of the United States, residing at Mayville, in the county of Traill and btate of North Dakota, have invented certain new and luseful Improvements in Sanitary Drinking-Fountains, of which the following is a specification.

The present invention relates to a sanitary drinking fountain, and has for its object to provide a device of this character which embodies novel features of construction whereby individual drinking tubes are utilized both as keys to turn on the flow of water and also as means to convey the water from the fountain to the mouth, thereby preventing the mouth or any part of the person from coming into direct contact with the fountain, and also preventing any waste of the water.

A further object of the invention is to provide a sanitary drinking fountain which is comparatively simple and inexpensive in its construction, which is economical in the use of water, and which will always remain in a clean and sanitary condition, since it is not possible for the mouth of the user to come into direct contact with the fountain proper.

lVith these and other objects in View, the invention consists in certain novel combinations and arrangements of the parts as will more fully appear as the description proceeds, the novel features therof being pointed out in the appended claims.

For a full understanding of the invention, reference is to be had to the lfollowing description and accompanying drawings, in which k Figure 1 is a `vertical sectional view through a sanitary drinking fountain constructed in accordance with the invention. Eig. 2 is a horizontal sectional view on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is al longitudinal sectional view through one of the individual drinking tubes. VFig. l is an end view of the lower end of the individual drinking tube. Fig. 5' is a plan view of the 'I upper end of the individual drinking tube.

Corresponding and like parts are referred to in the following description and indi cated in all the views of the drawings by the same reference characters. v

Specifically describing the present embodiment of the invention, the numeral 1 designates the feed pipe which'may be connected to any suitable source of supply, and

2 a drain pipe for carrying away surplus water. A bowl 3 is arranged at the base of the fountain, the drain pipe 2 leading away from the lower end of the bowl, while the -feed pipe 1 communicates with the pro- Jecting end ofV a transversely disposed tubular member extending across the upper end of the bowl 3. Any suitable form of joints such as indicated at 5 may be employed for connecting the feed pipe 1 to the projecting end of the tubular member A, and also for connecting the drain pipe 2 to the lower end of the bowl 3. A tubular arm 6 projects upwardly from the tubular member 1 and communicates with the interior thereof, the said arm being disposed axially with respect to the bowl 13 and terminating 1n a flanged mouth 7. The outer tube `8 is arranged directly over the tubular arm 6,

being provided at its lower end with an enlarged or flared portion 9 which is detachably threaded upon the flanged end 7 of the arm 6. The flared end 9 of the outlet-tube S provides a chamber 10 within which the valve 11 is mounted, the said valve normally engaging and being seated against the lower end of the outlet tube 8 so as to cut off the flow of water. A stem 12 which carries the valve member 11 extends upwardly through the outlet tube 8 and has a threaded connection with a perforated and flanged cap 13 which is slidablv `mounted upon the discharge end of the outlet tube 8. A spring 14; is interposed between the lower end of the cap 13 and the flared end 9 of the outlet tube 8, the said spring normally tending to force the cap 13 upwardly so as to retain the Valve 11 in a closed position. Owing to the threaded connection between the cap 13 and the valve stem 12 the tension in the spring 14: can be adjusted as found most desirable.

A cylindrical casing 15 surrounds the above described mechanism, the lower .end of the casing being threaded upon or otherwise detachably connected to the upper end of the bowl 3, while the. upper end of the cylindrical casing is provided with a dished guard plate 16, having a central opening which surrounds the cap 13 so as to deflect any overflow or waste water into the cylindrical casing 15, from which it drops around the sides of the tubular member l into the bowl 3 and is carried away by the drain pipe 2. The upper surface of the cap 13 is formed with an annular seat 13a adapted to engage thelower end 17":l of an individual drinking tube 17. The upper end 171 of the drinking tube may be flattened as shown, if desired, although this is optional with the user. When it is desired to obtain a drink from the fountain, the lower end 17 is fitted upon the annular seat 13a at the upper end of the cap 13 and pressure applied to the drinking tube sufficient to force the cap 13 downward against the action of the spring 14 and open the valve 11. Water will then flow freely'from the feed pipe 1 to the outlet pipe 8 and pass through the perforations of the cap 13 to the individual drinking tube 17. This individual drinking tube 17 serves as a means for conveying the water from the cap 13 to the mouth` of the user so that neither the mouth or any part of the user comes into direct contact with the fountain. rhis individual drinking tube 17 also serves as a key for controlling the flow of water, since the valve 11 is held in a closed position by the spring 11 until the cap 13 has been forced downwardly by the drinking tube. The upper or mouth engaging end of the drinking tube is preferably formed in a different shape fromV that of the seat 13il of the cap 18 so that it is impossible for the drinking tube to be inverted upon a subsequent use thereof and the end which was previously in the mouth of the user then placed against cap 15:5. Every person using the fountain must be supplied with an individual drinking tube, although these are very small and can be readily carried in the pocket and no person not thus provided can use the fountain. The fountain parts are thus enabled to be readily maintained in a clean and sanitary condition, and excessive waste of the water is prevented, since the valve 11 is' always closed except when the fountain is in use.

Having. thus described the invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. A sanitary drinking fountain including a bowl, a tubular member extending transversely across the mouth of the bowl, a supply pipe leading to the tubular member, a drain pipe` leading from the bowl, an upwardly extending outlet pipe communicating with the tubular member and arranged axially with respect to the bowl, a valve within the outlet pipe, a perforate cap member slidably mounted upon the discharge end of the outlet pipe, an operative connection between the cap member and the valve, a spring normally holding the valve in a closed position, the valve being adapted to be opened by applying pressure to the cap member, a casing applied to the upper end of the bowl and surrounding the outlet pipe, and a dished guard plate at the upper end of the casing, said guard plate having a central opening within which the perforate cap is located.

2. A sanitary drinking fountain including a bowl, a tubular member extending transversely across the mouth of the bowl, a supply pipe leading to the tubular member, a drain pipe leading from the bowl, an upwardly extending outlet pipe communicating with the tubular member, a valve within the outlet pipe, a perforate cap member slidably mounted upon the discharge end of the outlet tube, an operative connection between the cap member and the'valve, and a spring normally holding the valve in closed position, the valve being adapted to be opened by applying pressure to the cap member.

3. A sanitary drinking fountain including a bowl, a tubular member extending transversely across the mouth of the bowl, a. supply pipeA communicating with the tubular member, a drain pipe leading from the bowl, a tubular armprojecting upwardly from the before mentioned tubular member, an outlet tube having an enlarged end which is fitted to the tubular arm, said enlarged end providing a valve chamber, a valve mounted within the valve chamber and controlling the flow of water through the outlet tube, a perforate capmember slidably mounted upon the discharge end of the outlet tube, a stem connecting the cap member and valve, and a spring normally holding the valve member yin a closed position, the valve being adapted' to be opened by applying pressure to the cap member.

4. A sanitary drinking fountain including a bowl, a tubular member extending transversely across the mouth of the bowl, a supply pipe communicating with the tubular member, a drain pipe leadingifrom the bowl, a tubular' arm projecting from the tubular member, an outlet tube applied to the tubular arm, a valve chamber being provided at the junction of the outlet tube and the tubular arm, a valve arranged within the valve chamber and controlling the flow ofv water througlithe outlet tube, a perforateV cap member slidably mounted upon the discharge end of the outlet tube, a stem connecting the cap member and the valve, a spring normally holding the valve in a closed position, said valve being adapted to be opened by applying pressure to the cap members, a casing' applied to the upper end of the bowl and surrounding the outlet tube, and a guard member upon the casing.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

JOAKM M. INGBERG.

litnesses K. S. GRo'rH, H. M. SOLIAH.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for ve cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. C. 

